Robert J. Young1, Tania Sierra2, Valerie Lee3, Nicole Brennan1, Kyung Peck1
1Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA; 2Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York; 3New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University, New York
We hypothesize that fMRI driven tractography can more accurately predict the location of the corticospinal tract than anatomy driven tractography in patients with brain tumors near the motor cortex. We performed fMRI and DTI in 12 right-handed patients with brain tumors. Corticospinal tractography was similar between the anatomic and fMRI methods (p>0.06). Anatomy driven fiber tracking may be as accurate as fMRI driven fiber tracking when performed by an experienced operator, even in patients with brain tumors. Correlation of these techniques with direct cortical and subcortical stimulation during surgery is necessary for further validation of the generated fiber tracts.